At one time or another, most individuals will experience emotional overwhelm. However, individuals who have served in the military may be more vulnerable to this condition if they were exposed to stressful or traumatic experiences. Understanding overwhelm is important for veterans, for persons who have been in active service, as well as for the family and friends of those who have been in the military.

What is it like to have emotional overwhelm?

Possibly because of the stresses that come with military life, it is not unusual for persons who have been in uniform to experience overwhelm. Several symptoms can indicate that a person may be experiencing this condition.

People with emotional overwhelm can often feel profoundly sad. They may be overly stressed about seemingly inconsequential things. They may have strong feelings of anxiety and fear. Their anger may persist longer than the provocation might merits, and/or the anger may be out of proportion to its trigger.

As this condition progresses, its symptoms can grow markedly. Individuals experiencing these symptoms can become so overcome they may feel unable to react rationally. It may become a struggle to complete even the most common of routine tasks, such as; getting dressed, choosing a menu item, and making other everyday decisions. In time, the condition can affect their work performance and even their relationships. When close friends and family members notice these signs, it may not be wise to ignore them.

Throughout all this, the persons suffering may feel helpless and their emotions can become unbridled. It may be a difficult situation to be in, but getting through emotional overwhelm is not impossible. With professional help, individuals, including persons who have been in the military, can overcome the turbulence that comes with emotional overwhelm.

What causes emotional overwhelm in military personnel?

Typically, emotional overwhelm surfaces when an individual is confronted by a stressor that appears insurmountable. There can be increased vulnerability to this condition when the stressor is serious, continuous, or compounded by various factors.

In the case of former military personnel and their families, some stressors are often more severe than they would be for others. The death of friends in combat, deployment, the possibility of deployment, and/or adjustments after deployment all bring with them considerable amounts of stress. Additional pressures can also come with the expectations placed on those in uniform such as; people who have been in the military are “tough and able to handle just about any problem that comes their way”.

Other causes of emotional overwhelm may include relationship problems, existing medical issues, financial concerns, and/or inadequate rest and recreation. Traumas (received during and in between assignments) may also play a significant role in causing these symptoms.

People sometimes expect individuals who have been in the military to shed their past stressors like a second skin when they leave the service. Ironically, however, even the transition from military to civilian life can trigger feelings that life’s demands have become overpoweringly difficult to tackle.

These transitions may not be problematic in themselves. In fact, some transitions could even be normally viewed as positive developments, however, the changes brought with these developments could be perceived as crushing to a person already experiencing emotional overwhelm. People who have been in service, as well as their families, may benefit from this awareness.

How can emotional overwhelm be conquered?

Emotional overwhelm can cause extreme anguish in those who go through it, but it is a condition that can be conquered with professional help. Call Carolina Counseling Services – Fayetteville, NC and make an appointment with a trained and caring licensed, independently contracted counselor. If you or a loved one is going through this, don’t deny yourself the support you deserve.